"Enterprise support includes software support for financial accounting, the online expense system, payroll, human resources and a relationship management system."

Apparently the tender was offered through OGC Buying Solutions, with three responses being received for the infrastructure contract, and three for the enterprise contract.

Up to 14 February, from its inception IPSA paid £2.22m to Calyx, McDonald said.

In January, IPSA said it had paid out more than £9m in MPs' expenses since the May election, and had "not reimbursed 2,000 claims with a collective value of £144,000".

The Independent Parliamentary Standards Authority was set up in the wake of the MPs' expenses scandal, to ensure transparency in the way payouts are handled. So now we know how much transparency costs. ®